This invention relates to an alloy containing nickel, cobalt, and boron (Ni-Co-B), and the use of the alloy as a catalyst for the electrolytic production of gasses and as a thin film for use with magnetic recording media and read/write heads therefor.
Gasses, such as hydrogen and halogens (especially chlorine) are in great demand. Nickel and mercury are commonly used as catalysts when such gasses are electrolytically produced. Nickel has a high resistivity and low conductivity and therefore requires an excessive amount of energy to produce gasses when used as a catalyst. Therefore, hydrogen is commonly produced by cracking of compounds such as methane.
Mercury is commonly used as a catalyst for the electrolytic production of chlorine from NaCl. When chlorine is produced in this manner, the sodium combines with the mercury. This requires a second electrolytic process to separate the sodium from the mercury to maintain the catalyst. Further, mercury is toxic, requiring the use of extra precautions when mercury is used.